-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Mitch McConnell could very well become the Senate majority leader after Tuesday 's midterm elections , but do n't count on Ted Cruz to make it an easy transition for the Kentucky Republican .

Cruz , a Republican senator from Texas who 's eying a 2016 presidential bid , all but promised to raise hell next year should his party control the Senate .

In an interview with The Washington Post published Sunday , Cruz refused to pledge his support to McConnell , the current minority leader in the Senate , and outlined what he believes should be the chamber 's priorities .

Dems put up brave face ahead of election

While Cruz has campaigned for many mainstream Republican candidates this year , his new comments indicate he 's aiming to re-claim the mantle of Republican insurgent , a role that helped define his first year in the Senate in 2013 .

The first priority next year , he told the Post , should be a string of hearings on President Barack Obama , `` looking at the abuse of power , the executive abuse , the regulatory abuse , the lawlessness that sadly has pervaded this administration . ''

Polls give GOP momentum going into midterms

He also hopes a Republican Senate will `` pursue every means possible to repeal Obamacare , '' just as the GOP-controlled House has tried more than 50 times to dismantle the health care law .

Part of the effort , he said , should include forcing a vote that could avoid a possible filibuster by Democrats . If Obama vetoes the repeal , the Senate should vote on Obamacare provisions `` one at a time , '' according to the Post .

McConnell , who 's trying to stave off a high-profile Democratic challenge in his re-election bid , has largely stayed away from spelling out the would-be Republican agenda next year .

How presidential contenders are spending Election Night

Cruz 's comments also set the stage for an interesting dynamic between himself and Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky , a potential 2016 rival .

Unlike Cruz , Paul has stood closely by McConnell 's side in the senior senator 's re-election campaign -- an alliance that could surely benefit Paul , who 's eager to get his own series of bills passed in the run-up to a presidential bid .

@highlight

Ted Cruz refused to pledge his support to Mitch McConnell if he becomes Senate majority leader

@highlight

He hopes the Senate will be as persistent in trying to repeal Obamacare as the House has been